159. Chapter 159

After Deep in Death, Once Again

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: Once, twice, three times I don't own Castle. Rating: M Time: See above.

Author's note: Once, (Chapter 9), twice, (Chapter 60), three (now) times I've done this because Kate is once, twice, three times a lady.

Kate Beckett arched her back and thrust herself up so that her lover could go deeper into her. He was already further into her and filling her more than any lover she'd ever had. She had already had one orgasm and she wrapped her sweaty arms and legs around her lover and pulled him to her. "Oh! Yes!" She moaned. He covered her mouth with his, momentarily silencing her, but her groans, although muffled, grew louder. She rubbed her boobs against his muscular chest, feeling her nipples scratching him. She smiled to herself. Nothing like this had ever happened to her before. She was determined that it would happen again and again and again. She felt the heat rising between her thighs and she knew another orgasm was coming. She held her lover with all her strength as a wave of pleasure washed over her. Her lover kept pounding into her, but then began to slow his pace. She knew he wanted to be gentle with her. He wanted her to know that he cared deeply for her, that she was not just another lover. The sex was fantastic, but it wasn't what they were really all about. They were much more than this. She felt him explode inside her. He slowly relaxed and rolled off of her, holding her tenderly in his arms.

"That was fantastic." She whispered.

"You're fantastic. Remarkable. Fascinating." He told her, kissing her forehead. "You're not alone anymore. I'm with you. I will be always."

She giggled. Something she hadn't done in years. "You're not so bad yourself. I'm glad I'm with you."

He nodded. "We'll find your mother's murderer. We'll make him pay."

"I know we will. We can do this. Together."

"I love you, Kate."

"I love you, Castle."

Kate Beckett sat bolt upright in her bed. "I love you, Castle? Where the hell did that come from?" She looked around her empty bedroom. Then she slid her hand underneath her panties. She was wet. She had had an orgasm in her sleep. "I don't believe this. I just don't believe it." She muttered to herself.

She got out of bed and got a fresh pair of panties, then went into her bathroom. She threw the old pair into the laundry hamper and washed herself off. Then she put her new panties on. She glared at her reflection in the mirror. "What were you thinking?"

She got back in bed, but couldn't go back to sleep immediately. The dream can't possibly mean anything. It can't. I will never, ever sleep with Castle and I will not allow him to do anything about mom's murder. It was just a stupid, stupid dream. It means nothing. Nothing at all.

After the morgue van had been hijacked and the body stolen, Lanie called Beckett and asked her to come down.

"What do you have?" Kate asked curiously. "Must be tough with no body."

"I talked to Castle."

Kate glared at her friend. "I hope you two will be very happy together."

"You didn't tell me that he had actually found evidence about your mom's case."

"He found evidence that might relate to my mom's case. So far, it's nothing but wild speculation from a man who does fiction for a living. So what?"

"Four people died in the same manner. One person definitely knew you mother, the others may have known her. All within a couple of months of her. Now does that sound like fiction to you? Girl, if this was any other case you'd be dragging Castle off with you chasing down witnesses and clues."

Kate took a deep breath. "It's not any other case. It's my mom's case. And it's been cold for over ten years now. Do you have any idea how unlikely it is that any murder can be solved after ten years?"

"I have a pretty good idea how unlikely it is that a murder will go unsolved if no one investigates it." Lanie riposted.

"I am not going back down that rabbit hole again, Lanie. I go back and go into my mom's murder again and I'll never come back out. I can't do it. I just can't do it. I won't do it. I don't care what kind of evidence Castle has. I will not go through that again. Please, Lanie. I honor my mom's life and memorialize her death by being the best cop I can be. And that's all I can do. I can't do any more."

"Do you have to punish Castle for trying to help you?" Lanie asked quietly.

"Yes, I do. He hurt me deeply and I cannot just let that go by. If he doesn't respect me enough to do as I ask in the most important thing in my life, I can't have him in my life."

"Sweetie…" Lanie began.

"Lanie, really. I have to get back to work." She walked away.

Castle was typing on his laptop, the words flowing out of his brain and onto the screen. Part of him was going over the events of the evening. Beckett was incredibly hot. He knew that. It had initially attracted him to her. But she was incredibly brave, and incredibly tenacious, and incredibly dedicated and…incredibly incredible. He mentally erased the last two words. Bad writing.

The loss of Beckett's friendship had hurt him. He was positive he'd never run into another woman like her again. He deeply regretted what he had done. With other women, he'd keep pursuing them, but not with Kate Beckett. He had agreed to her terms and he would honor his given word.

He looked up and saw Alexis walking towards his office.

"Castle." Kate waited a moment. "I'll see you tomorrow." She said as he reached the end of the hallway. He turned and she thought she could see a smile before he left.

Esposito stepped out of the shadows. "So, you're letting him be part of the team again?"

She just nodded, not fully trusting her voice.

"Why?"

"Is that any concern of yours, Espo?"

"Yeah. I'm on that team, too."

She turned to face her fellow detective. "One, because, in spite of my complaints, he's very good at this. He makes me a better detective. He makes us a better team. I owe the people of New York the best job I can do."

"Secondly, he did hurt me deeply. But maybe, just maybe, he thought he was helping me. Maybe he did it for me and not for him. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt."

"Thirdly, I'm a cop. I can't pick and choose what crimes I investigate, or what evidence I look at. I don't have that choice."

Esposito smiled at her. "And it doesn't hurt that you like each other, does it?"

She just smiled at him.